Leaving for France
by xdark-chocolatex
Summary: Edward and Daisy's final minutes together before he goes to France. The scene from 'Women Shall Not Weep' in my own words.


Leaving for France

Charing Cross Station was crowded that evening in late September, 1915. Motor cars and taxis were pulling up every five minutes, carrying soldiers in their smart green uniform. A band was playing the traditional war time songs as friends and family stood with their soldier for the last few minutes. Children were waving Union Jack flags, looking happy enough. Soldiers were leaning out of the train carriage windows to speak to their loved ones before the train left to take them away to the trenches in France.

Edward and Charlie were already on the train and looking out of their carriage window, excited. Daisy stood on the platform, looking up at Edward with shiny brown eyes, her hands twisting together worriedly.

"If the old engine runs out of steam, we'll only get as far as Folkestone, eh Charlie?" Edward was saying cheerfully. He looked down at Daisy with a big smile on his face. "Cheer up Dais, you never know!" he told his newly wedded wife heartily. Daisy looked at him doubtfully, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"I'll write you a nice long letter every day," Edward told her in a softer tone. "I promise."

Feeling slightly happier and glad that Edward was being more intimate, Daisy looked across at Charlie, whose head was still hanging out of the window next to them. She looked back at Edward, telling him with her eyes that she thought they should be alone.

"Charlie, have a read of my comic, eh?" Edward said to his best friend.

"What, now?"

"Yeah - inside the cabin. Daisy has something she wants to say to me in private."

"Oh, I see!" Charlie grinned at them. "Make myself scarce, eh?"

Daisy lowered her eyes in embarrassment, until his head was gone. Edward turned towards her and she held up her gloved hands for him to hold.

"Well? What shall we talk about, eh?" Edward asked.

Daisy just shook her head, not wanting his eyes to leave hers. She didn't really want to talk. She loved him so much and now he was being taken away from her. She was trying not to cry, but it was hard.

Edward had hoped for a happy goodbye, scared of showing his emotions. He saw Daisy looking teary and tried desperately to keep things jolly.

"Here, I bet Mr Hudson's going to miss me, having to clean all the silver himself, not leaving it for me to do on my weekend leaves. And don't you go letting Rose take advantage of you, because she will, you know. She'll have you running up and down them stairs if I'm not there...Oh Daisy. Daisy love, don't cry."

Daisy had begun to sob, her pretty face a picture of sadness under the brim of her straw hat. Edward's face was also sad as he knelt down inside the train so that his face was lower and closer to Daisy's. Daisy's crying was making Edward feel exactly how he didn't want to. He didn't think he could last much longer.

"The train'll be going soon. Come on Daisy, cheer up, please love."

But Daisy couldn't. Edward looked down the platform, in fear that he may start crying himself.

"Eh, look! There's Miss Georgina down there with her friends. By the bookstall."

Edward was smiling again as he looked towards the two officers with Georgina and her friend. Daisy looked at them as well.

"Well look at them!" Edward said to Daisy, as they turned their faces back towards each other. "They look cheerful enough."

Edward was rubbing Daisy's hand gently, no longer smiling.

"I'm bound to get some leave, sooner or later," he told her sadly. He started to tell her about the souvenirs he could bring back for the servant's hall and made a small joke or two. They both shared a smile, but then almost suddenly the facts of the situation came back to them and Daisy's face fell again.

"I'll tell you what, Dais. Why not pop off home, eh?" Edward said, getting desperate now. "Don't wait for the train to go. You skip off, eh?"

Daisy seemed hesitant. Edward looked down the platform again.

"Perhaps you could ask Miss Georgina to give you a lift home in her taxi," he continued, not noticing Daisy's shocked expression at the suggestion. "You could ask her nicely if you can wait for her by the exit."

"Oh, I couldn't!" Daisy said, alarmed. "Not ask her that." She began to cry again. "I'll be alright," she sobbed.

"Oh, come on. You're not frightened of Miss Georgina, are you? She's always been extra nice to you."

"I just don't want her to see me like this, that's all." Daisy told him, lifting a hand to brush away her tears. "Not like this, Eddie."

"I see," Edward whispered to her comfortingly.

"Still, I will go off home before the train goes, if you don't mind." Daisy's brown eyes were fixed on his, bright with tears.

"Yeah," was all Edward could say.

"I'll get an omnibus to Hyde Park corner," she told him reassuringly, her eyes wide. For a moment, they just looked at each other, the band playing a mournful tune.

"Well," said Edward. "Give us a kiss then. Come on - they'll all be doing it in a tick."

Their arms wrapped around each other's necks, they drew into a long kiss. Their arms tightly around one another, Edward began to sniff, tears on his own face. He held Daisy close, wishing he didn't have to let go.

When they withdrew, his hand still on her back and hers on his neck, Edward said shakily,

"Take care of yourself, Daisy."

She removed herself from his arms and his loving and sorrowful gaze. She looked back at him once, grief on her face, before running down the platform.

Edward sniffed as he sat back in his cabin next to Charlie, his arms around himself. He began to whistle to take his mind from Daisy. Charlie looked at him and Edward broke off, realising that Charlie could guess how he was feeling. Charlie held out the comic silently and Edward took it. He tried to read it, but his eyes were dazed and his mind distracted. As the whistle sounded, a look of fear crossed briefly on Edward's sorrowful face. Charlie felt sorry for his friend. He didn't have a sweetheart to leave. Edward and Daisy had only been married that afternoon.


End file.
